diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/fhir2/api/dao/impl/BaseFhirDao.java b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/fhir2/api/dao/impl/BaseFhirDao.java
index b0222df20..4fe7807ea 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/fhir2/api/dao/impl/BaseFhirDao.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/fhir2/api/dao/impl/BaseFhirDao.java
@@ -175,12 +175,20 @@ public List<T> getSearchResults(@Nonnull SearchParameterMap theParams) {
 		
 		TypedQuery<T> executableQuery = (TypedQuery<T>) criteriaContext.getEntityManager()
 		        .createQuery(criteriaContext.getCriteriaQuery());
+
 		executableQuery.setFirstResult(theParams.getFromIndex());
 		if (theParams.getToIndex() != Integer.MAX_VALUE) {
 			int maxResults = theParams.getToIndex() - theParams.getFromIndex();
-			executableQuery.setMaxResults(maxResults);
+			if (maxResults >= 0) {
+				executableQuery.setMaxResults(maxResults);
+			} else {
+				// TODO: this is really just a workaround, we can find a better way of handling the negative results
+				int negative = theParams.getFromIndex() - theParams.getToIndex();
+				executableQuery.setMaxResults(negative);
+			}
 		}
-		
+
+
 		if (hasDistinctResults()) {
 			results = (List<T>) criteriaContext.getEntityManager().createQuery(criteriaContext.getCriteriaQuery())
 			        .getResultList();